Chapter 6

Even the submission of children to parents is not unilateral and unconditional. Parents have obligations that go with their authority. And children are quick to notice when a parent is acting selfishly. Parents obviously have to be in charge, but notice carefully what Paul says in verse 4. Any time God gives authority to a person, He lays equal and heavy obligations upon that person. When a parent is acting selfishly, that selfishness is apt to be reflected in the selfishness of children.

(Ephesians 6 KJV) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. {2} Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; {3} That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. {4} And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. {5} Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Even the servant/master question is not unilateral. The master has similar responsibilities. See verse 9. 

And this is important. If I'm working for you I need to work hard. I need to work hard when you're watching, I need to work hard when you're not. And I need to do this work to please God not you. Because I can trust that whatever good thing I do I'm going to receive the same back from the Lord, whether you do it or not.

{6} Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; {7} With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: {8} Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. {9} And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

God does not care which one of you is the boss and which one is the servant, He's going to judge you both precisely the same way. Again the theme of the entire book is unity and the unity has to do with the relationships we have with one another. Sometimes we are in authority relationships. But none of these authority relationships is unilateral.  Not one of them bestows authority on a person without that person being accountable.

Remember that the theme of this book is unity, and Paul is addressing the theme to every kind of relationship, parents and children, husbands and wives, Jews and Gentiles.  

 {10} Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. {11} Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. {12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

It is hard to know exactly how to take this. For it really seems we have a battle with people in the flesh from time to time. But here is Paul telling us that people are not our enemy. Spirits are our enemy. We really must take this seriously. This calls for action on our part to prepare ourselves for combat. The fact that it is spiritual combat does not make it any less dangerous.

{13} Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {14} Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

So where do you start?  Oddly, you start with truth. “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.” A commitment to the truth all day every day is the fundamental building block of a sound mind. I am not talking about spiritual or doctrinal truth, for that limits the scope.  I am talking about truth.  It starts with being honest with yourself, and it goes on to a hard commitment to be honest with everyone you meet. Once you lie, to yourself or to your neighbor, the ground under your feet becomes slippery.  You start making mistakes in judgment. This is powerfully underlined in Isaiah 59.

You do this because you're no longer thinking clearly. You've told lies. You have to justify the lies; you have to explain the lie to yourself. You have to cover the lie with your neighbor. And the more you do this the more your judgment goes in the tank.  

What does Paul mean by the breastplate of righteousness? What defines righteousness?  The answer is simple enough. The law of God defines right and wrong conduct. As the Psalmist said, "My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness" (Psalms 119:172).

The fact is that when you break the law, be it man’s law or God’s law, you make yourself vulnerable. You create a chink in your armor–a place where your enemy can strike you. I don’t like to think about having enemies. I like to think that everybody loves me, and so do you. But if we can believe Paul, we not only have an enemy, he is a singularly aggressive and persistent enemy, and we have a job on our hands being ready for him.

{15} And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; {16} Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. {17} And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: {18} Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; {19} And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, {20} For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. {21} But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: {22} Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. {23} Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {24} Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."

 

The Sinless Life
Have you ever considered what it would mean  if you could just live a sinless life?

Youth in Action
Never in our history have young people needed Bible learning and Christian youth programs more than they do today.